Vacuo-thermic-body-treatment appliance



I. F. WEBB, SR.

VACUO THERMIC BODY TREATMENT APPLIANCE.

APPLICATION FILED DE02. I9I9.

Patented Dec. 6

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

J. F. WEBB, Sn.

VACUO THERMIC ODY TREATMENT APPLIANCE. APPLICATION FILED DIzc.2. I9I9.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

1,399,095, Patented Dee. 6,1921.

J. F. WEBB, Sn.

VACUO THERMIC BODY TREATMENT APPLIANCE. APPLlcAnoN man nmz. 1919.

1,399,095 Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

INVENTOR JEAN F. WEBB, SR., 0F NEW YORK, N. Y.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 6, 1921.

Application led December 2, 1919. Serial No. 341,902.

To all whom z't may coiwewt:

peculiar features of construction and novel Be it known that I, JEAN F.WEBB, Sr., aa arrangement of parts as mentioned in the citizen of theUnited States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and Stateof New York, have invented a new and useful Vacuo-Thermic-Body-TreatmentAppliance, of which the following is a speciication.

. It has been well known to medical science that artificial heat whenapplied to any part of the human body increases the blood circulation tothe part sub-ject to the applied heat, and that'this increasedcirculation of the blood gradually enables it to absorb and carry offvarious forms of congestion or morbid conditions which cause pain, andythat when such congestion or morbid condition was finally absorbed andcarried off, normal circulation would be restored, anda cure effected. l

It has ,also been long known that placing any part of the human body ina closed vacuum appliance and gradually exhausting the air therefromwould quickly increase the circulation of the blood in the part or organso inclosed.

Various forms of vacuum appliances have heretofore been invented andused for such treatment, with more or less success, but generally theconstruction of such appliances or the manner of their application hasbeen such that the4 user has found it difficult, without the aid of anattendant to maintain the appliance or device in the applied positionfor effecting the desired curative results.

My invention primarily has forits purpose to produce an appllance of thecharacter and for the purposes stated, simple and inexpensive instructure 'and which, in its general contour, may be readily designed tosuit the special part or organ of the body tov be treated and which canbe conveniently.

applied and operated by the patient and which will speedily effect thedesired curative conditions. A

Another and essential object of my invention is to provide an applianceof the character stated so designed that the part or organ to which itmay be applied canbe treated by either heat or vacuum alternately, or byboth simultaneously, and said appliance used for self-treatment by thepatient.-

lVithV further objects in View and hereinafter stated, my inventioncomprehends a vacuo-thermic medical appliance for the general purposesstated, that 'embodies the following detailed description, asspeciiically outlined inthe appended claims and illustrated in the,accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a planI view, parts being in horizontal section of myimproved appliance, the same being shown as especially designed for thetreatment of rheumatism, writers cramp, etc. A

Fig. 2 is a vertical section,'partly in elevation, of my appliancedesigned for treatmentof varicose veins, sprained ankles, etc.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view that illustrates my appliance designed forthe treatment of varicocele, orchitis and other forms of congested orweakened conditions of the sexual organs.

lFig. vel: is a vdetail longitudinal section of lijhe outer end of theappliance shown in Fig. 5 iS a'front elevation of the appliance shown inFig. 3.v

Fig. 6 isa perspective view of a further lmodification of my appliancehereinafter molded in the walls, to act as resistance coils forgenerating the desired heat.

Preferably the body l of the appliance 1s made of a heat resisting glassin which the,

wires 2 are embedded and the glassannealed in the same manner as fireglass 1s made.A

The body being of transparent material and since the effect of thevacuum or heat treatment is visible to thepatient in selftreatment, thesaid treatment can be regulated as desired and in the manner hereinafterexplained.'

In the manufacture of my invention, the body of the different forms ofappliances are shaped to suit the particular treatment for which theyare to be applied.

In every form, the same general characterigs. l, 2, 3 and 6, l

istic of my invention is maintained and they comprise essentially abulbular body having the electric heating coils 2 embedded therein, forgenerating the heat, a switch connection, preferably attached to thebody, and aconnection on the body` for the attachment thereof of an airor vacuum creating bulb,

. and'when the member or part. being treated is to be entirely incased,suitable means is attached to the body for makin an air tight closure atthe open end of the ody.

As shown in Fig.v` 1, the body 1 is of a bulbular shape and of a sizesuitable forreceiving'thereinl the hand and the wrist of the user, itbeing understood that the said body 1, may be long enough toA extend tonear the elbow, to adapt it for theready treatment of a sprained wristor forearm.

At the open end, the body 1, shown in Fig. 1, is restricted and it thereterminates in a tubular extension 10 which provides for the convenientattachment thereto of a broad sheet rubber band 3 that aids in keepingthe attachment in the desired operative position and also effects an airtight closure for the hollow body.

In the form referred to, the body 1 at the l outermost end has a tubularnipple or extension 11,for'receiving the end of a flexible.

wire cord 7 is supplied with the usual form of switch plu for connectingwith the house electric'light xtures or to a battery.

. In Fig. 2 is shown substantially th .L same form -ofapplianceillustrated by Fig. l, except that the hollow body is shapedfor recelving the leg or foot, and the nipple 11 for attaching thevacuum creating bulb device is locatedbelow and adjacent the coupling Yblock v12.

In this latter form, a rubber closure band 8 is also used and it engagesthe neck portion 13 of the body and the-leg to make the air tightclosure for the upper end.

While the form shown in Fig. 2 isespecially adapted for receiving thefoot andthe leg below thel knee, it is obvious the body 1 may be ofsufficient length to include the knee joint, and 1n this latter form, anasbestos plate 9 is located on the bottom of the body 1-to avoid burningthe foot.

The form shown in Fig. 2 is especially well adapted for the -treatmentof gout,

varicose veins in the 'leg and sprained ankles ing block 12, designedfor receiving the ordlnary and, when made long enough, for the treatmentof rheumatic and other` diseases of the knee.

Vacuum tubes for the male organ alone have long been known or used, vbutthey did notinclose the orches (testicles), the seat of the varicocele;and consequently they could not -furnish the proper treatment needed torelieve congested or abnormal conditions in all the parts.

Fig. 5 illustrates -a further form of my improved appliance that isparticularly designed for use for effecting the proper treatment ofthose parts last referred to and, in the said form, the body 1 includes,in addition to the bulbular body portion 1, a sack-- otherwise made fastto the said edge.

In this latter form of my appliance, the outer end of the glass body 1which is in the nature of a tube, is closed by a disk 18 (preferablyhard rubber) .provided with an internally threaded aperture 19,'forreceiving thegthreaded coupling 20 on the end of the iexible tube 21that joins with the air exhausting rubber bulb 40 provided with theusual valve devices 23-24 in the opposite ends thereof, as shown.

Near the inner end, the body 1 has the switch portion for connectionwith the switch plu 25 on the end of the electric conduit cord t atjoins with the source of electric supply. l v v v e In Figa 6 is shown astill further modiication of my invention, the said form beingespecially designed for cupping on the loca applications to any part ofthe human body, and in the said form, the body 1 is also provided with arubber covered edge or rim to provide for an air tight closure 'as the apliance is held pressed against the part o the human body to betreated.-

In the latter construction, the body 1 is bowl-shaped and has its crownor inner end secured air tight in any suitable manner, to a head portion35 that constitutes a block Yfor recelving the circuit closing member 36to which the current wire lead 37 connects. 38 desi ates a centralswitch in the cord or lead 3%nfor coupling withv the source ofelectrical energy.

Block 35 has an aperture that opens into the bowl-shaped body and withwhich connects the stem of a vacuum bulb 31 and it also has a socket 32for receiving a hard rubber handle 33. t

. From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings,the complete construction of, tl1e manner in which the appliances may beused and the advantages thereof Will be especiallyl apparent to thosefamiliar With the use of appliances of the character stated. v

ongmany other advantages of my invention, it should be mentioned thatthe same may "be readily shaped -in various forms suitable for thetreatment of different parts, or members, of the human body and' capableof being readily adapted for use by connecting the appliance with ahouse service electric plug or battery. The patient can easily apply theappliance and maintain it at the desired positions for the specialtreatment desired, and by reason of having the switch connections andthe vacuum devices combinedwith the appliance as shown and described, heuser can apply the heattreatment or the vacuum treatment eitheralternately or together and by observation, he can regulate eithercurative agent as conditions may make desirable for effecting a speedyand effective cure.

forms Tof my invention, to illustrate the adaptabilityof the same'forthe treatment of various parts of the body, it is understood applianceseither larger or smallersizes for the treatment of the full length ofleg,l individual fingers, elbows or other joints may be readily madeWithout in thecleast departing from the generic form of my invention ascomes Within the scope of the appended claims.

'What I claim is: l. A vacuo-thermic appliance comprising a container oftransparent heat resisting material, electric circulation wires embodiedin the entire outside transparent shell of the said container, a circuitclosure connected with the said container, the latter being proof thehuman body toA be-treated, heat coils embedded in the shell of thecontainer, a block that constitutes a closure for the other end of thecontainer and into Which the terminals of the heat coils extend, a`circuit clo- While I have illustrated a` number of sure in connectionwith the said terminals, the said block having an air passage incommunication with the interior of the container and a vacuum creatingbulb attached to the said block and in communication with the airpassage therethrough.

JEAN' F. WEBB, sR.

